ANGOLA REMAINS "QUIETLY" ENGAGED ON ZIMBABWE

UNCLAS LUANDA 000566

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FOR AF/S (GARLAND AND PELLETREAU)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL SADC ZI BC AO
SUBJECT: ANGOLA REMAINS "QUIETLY" ENGAGED ON ZIMBABWE

REF: STATE 79617


1. (SBU) Ambassador Mozena conveyed reftel demarche on July
25 to Carlos Fonseca, Diplomatic Advisor to President Dos
Santos, underscoring that the will of the Zimbabwe people, as
expressed during the March 29 election, must be respected as
efforts continue to resolve the Zimbabwe crisis and that
President Mugabe could not be part of any transitional
government. Fonseca took the demarche on board, said he
would convey it to others, and thanked the ambassador for
conveying the US perspective of this "difficult" issue.


2. (SBU) Later the same day, Mozena delivered the same
demarche to Paulo Jorge, the MPLA Secretary for International
Relations, highlighting the need for continued Angolan
engagement on Zimbabwe to encourage President Mugabe to make
a dignified departure now from office. Mozena added that
Mugabe could not be part of any transitional government.
Jorge, who has figured prominently in GRA deliberations on
Zimbabwe policy, agreed that it is hard to imagine a
transitional government that included Mugabe, but added that
it was unlikely that Mugabe would step down. Jorge said
Angola is "gently advising Mugabe on various courses of
action," and he mentioned a possible "Kenya" resolution.
Mozena noted that a Kenya approach could not work in
Zimbabwe, underscoring that Mugabe is the problem and not
part of the solution. Jorge said Angola will remain engaged
during the coming two-week negotiation period to support a
solution to the Zimbabwe situation. He added that a meeting
of select SADC countries would be held soon (NFI on dates or
participants) to support the negotiations. Jorge said Angola
continues to base its Zimbabwe policy on the need to stop the
violence there and for the government and opposition MDC to
reach a negotiated settlement.
MOZENA